“Karma is the cause of merit (Punya) and demerit (PÄP); good thoughts give rise to merit while evil thoughts to
demerit. Those who are possessed of subdued passions have clean mental states;
those with intense passions will have unclean mental states.”

It all depends on the quality of
one’s inner aspects (Bhäv). If his Bhäv is wholesome, he will earn Punya, and if his Bhäv is unwholesome, he will acquire PÄP. Negative contemplation is PÄP,
and positive contemplation is Punya.

“Always speak words which are
dear to others, even those wicked men who use harsh words ought to be forgiven;
one must take the best from all people - these are illustrative of persons
possessed of subdued passions.”

To speak that is likable to
others is the first characteristic of the person who has subdued passions. There
are two types of speeches - one that is like a pair of scissors, and the second
one is like a needle. Harsh speech is like a pair of scissors, and kind speech
is like a needle. As a pair of scissors cuts a piece of cloth, the harsh speech
hurts others. And as a needle joins two pieces of clothes, the kind speech
makes others feel good. One who speaks gently and kindly is in the state of
subdued passions.

The
second characteristic of the person with subdued passions is that he forgives
the individual who speaks harsh and unkind words to him. To react to the
individual who speaks harsh is the characteristic of an ignorant (ajnäni). It is spiritualtoforgive the individual who speaks harsh words. To have forgiving nature
is also a characteristic of the person with subdued passions. One of the fruits
of our spiritual practice is to have forgivingnature.

The
third characteristic of the person with subdued passions is that he adopts good
qualities (guna) of others. There is
no bad guy who does not have good qualities, and there is no good guy who does
not have a bad quality.The question is
of our perception,- how do we see others? If we are used to seeing others
positively, then we will notice their good qualities, and if we are seeing them
negatively, then we will notice their bad qualities.

Many
people praise themselves, and that is wrong. The person who praises himself has
an intensive ego. One who goes for his name and fame, is the person with
intensive passions.One usually
reflects out his own attributes. If he is full of faults, he will notice faults
in others. Contrary to this, if one has good qualities, he will notice good
qualities even in a devil.One who
maintains the feeling of revenge (retaliation,retribution, reprisal or vengeance) for a long time is the person of
intensive passions. Attitude of revenge is like a hard knot that is difficult
to untie.

Wholesome Karma is Punya.
When one acquires wholesome Karmas. it is called Punya.One attains the
material comforts because of his Punya.
But Punya does not bring the
spiritual happiness. One can get the happiness of heaven because of his Punya but not the happiness of Moksha. One attains the Moksha by
eradicating both, PÄP and Punya.

There are nine causes mentioned in Sthänäng
Sutra (a Jain Ägam) that result
in Punya. Five of them are related to
providing the necessities to the Jain ascetics. Offering of food, water,
shelter, bed, and clothes to Jain ascetics (Sanyami
- one who practices self-restraints) are acts of Punya. Such offerings are helpful to thosewho have resorted to the spiritual path.
Good thoughts, words (speech) and physical activities are also causes of Punya. Also paying spiritual homage to panch pamesthi [five supreme entities of
arihantas, Siddhas, Ächäryas, upädhyäyas
and Sädhus) is the cause for earning Punya. The term adopted by most Ächäryas is offerings to “right people”
(supätra). Right people include Jain
ascetics as well as the householders who are practicing self-restraints, and
are pursuing the path of liberation, and are in need of help. Some Ächäryas interpret that there is no
restriction against helping other living beings for the purpose of compassion (Jiva-dayä,
karunä and anukampä), because our Tirthankars
have preached about showing compassion to all living beings. Before initiation
(dikshä), Tirthankars donate for one year to all living beings without
becoming selective.

Unwholesome Karma is PÄP. Gauam Swämi asked Mahävir Swämi, “Bhante ! How can one be free from PÄP?”

Mahävir Swämi replied, “Gautam
! There are three ways to get freed from PÄP:
1) Knowledge of previous lives, 2) knowledge of the mystery behind the cycle of
birth and death and 3) knowledge of what is conscious mind (Chitta) and how to purify it?”

1.Knowledge of Previous Lives: If one
remembers what happened in his previous lives, he will automatically take the
path of punya and will abandon the
path of PÄP. If we do not have the
knowledge of our previous life, it is difficult to abandon the wrong path. The
person with the knowledge of previous life, understands the mystery behind
attaining the human life. He understands that it requires a great amount of
spiritual efforts to attain the human life. He thinks, “I do not want to waste
my human life by indulging in wrong activities. I need to choose the right
path.” Knowledge of previous lives is called “Jäti-smaran Jnän”.

2.Knowledge of the Mystery Behind the Cycle
of Birth and Death: One will become very careful, if he finds out the cause
for the cycle of birth and death. He is reborn in a good or a state because of
his own good or bad Karmas. He realizes, “My Karma is the reason why I am
trapped in the cycle of birth and death.” This realization makes one to stop
undesirable activities and, makes him conscious of the importance of human life

3.Knowing the Causes that Impuritythe Conscious Mind (Chitta): If one figures out why his conscious mind has become
impure, and how he can purify it then he automatically begins to free himself
from the sinful activities. Unnecessary and sinful activities stain the Chitta, while practicing as per true
religion purifies it.

1.Pranätipät (Violence or Himsä): Pranätipät means to injure one or more of theten präns
(vitalities) of a living being. Great Ächärya Umäswäti defines - “pramatt yogät prän vyayropanam Himsä.” To injure or to kill a living being because
of invigilance orignorance (Pramäd) is Himsä. One cannot find peace by pursuing a course of violence.
Carelessness itself amounts to Himsä.

Every living being wants to live, and no one wants to die.
Hurting or killing any living beings by physical means, words or in thoughts is
called Himsä. Lord Mahavir has laid
down that one should behave the way he likes the others to behave towards him.
He has said that as we like to live comfortably, all other beings too like to
lead comfortable life. The message is ‘Live and let live’. One should try to
provide comfort and security to others. If we cause suffering or unhappiness to
others or kill someone, we commit sin and we acquire Päp. Such Päp brings
unhappiness in our life or in our future lives. Ahimsä holds the key position in the whole scheme of the ethical
discipline. Giving protection to living beings is the true religion. The true
religion is based on compassion. Compassion is the root of the tree in the form
of religion. For householders, abstaining from intentionally injuring mobile
living beings, through mind, words or body, in any of the two ways‑
directly or through somebody is called sthul-pranätipat-virmanvrata
or Ahimsänuvrata.. One who inflicts
injury to living beings, with passionor carelessness is guilty of Himsä.

Himsä
is also marked in two forms: SukshmaHimsä‑ taking life of any living
being and SthulaHimsä‑ taking life of living beings with two senses and
onwards, which are also known as trasa
(mobile) Jivas.The first is obligatory for the monk and the
second is for the householder. The householder is also expected to abstain from
killing or injuring living beings even with one sense (ekendriyas), where possible. There are two types of Himsä: 1. inherent in one's occupation
and 2. unrelated to one's occupation . The Himsä
related to one’s profession is further divided into three categories: (1) Udyami, (2) Grihärambhi and (3) Virodhi.
(1)The householder, who has to
maintain himself and his family, has necessity to get involved in some
occupation and his occupation may involve Himsä.Therefore,occupations that involve less form of Himsä are advised to be undertaken. (2) Some kind of Himsä is involved while carrying out the manifold domestic duties and other
obligations.Preparation of food, use
of water in bathing and washing clothes, keeping of cattle, maintenance of
gardens, cutting fruits and flowers, etc. are some of such instances; and whatever
Himsä is involved in such household
obligations is permissible; otherwise normal course of life becomes impossible.
(3) It is committed generally in self‑defense or in the protection of
persons or property of members of the family, relatives or friends. In the
ordinary course of life, one has to defend himself from thieves, robbers or
enemies in battles. If one is a soldier, defense of his country is an
obligatory duty; but he is not expected to indulge in unnecessary Himsä as a matter of hostility or revenge.

Himsä
can also be defined as Bhav Himsä and Dravya Himsä: 1. bhäva‑Himsä‑
denotes the intention to cause injury and 2. Dravya‑Himsä denotes causing actual injury. Intention to
commit, or attempt to commit is a form of Himsä
whether it is actually carried out or not.

2.Mrushäväd: means to speak lies. To tell
a lie is PÄP . Lying is due to some
form of passions; therefore, all lying is forbidden unless the truth is likely
to result in greater Himsä. Spreading
unkind rumors, character assassination,misguiding deliberately, forgery, causing thoughtless defamation, using
harsh language, etc. have to be avoided. Honesty and reliabilityof Jain businessmen was well known. One time
more than 50% of the money transaction passed through their hands. The main
reason of their success wastheir
truthfulness. Like poetry, it is difficult to define “truth” though its nature
can be described and understood. The words that inflict injury to living beings
amounts to falsehood. But the truth may have to be avoided at times, if it
likely to cause loss of any life.

Any statement made through Pramäd(careless activity of body, mind or speech) is false‑hood.
The falsehood is of four kinds: 1. Denying the existence of a thing with
reference to its position, time and nature, when it actually exists. 2.
Asserting the existence of a thing with reference to its position, time and
place, when it does not exist at all. 3. Representation of an existing thing as
something different from what it really is. 4. Utterance of condemnable, sinful
or disagreeable words. Back‑biting, harsh, unbecoming, non‑sensical
or unethical speech is condemnable. That kind of speech which incites another
to engage in piercing, cutting, beating etc., or which is likely to lead to
destruction of life is sinful. The speech causing uneasiness, pain, hostility,
misery or anguish etc., has to be forbidden.

3.Adattädän: Adattädän means stealing. To
take something which is not given is adattädän.
Stealing covers what is not granted by its owner, The sense of stealing arises
from the greed (lobha) and it causes Himsä. Non-stealing includes the
maintenance of quality, not buying stolen goods, not cheating on taxes,
divulging confidences (vishvashaghät),
etc. It also includes not to disclose someone's secrets. The person who steals
causes pain to one whom he deprives of the objects and such deprivation may
bring inconvenience, trouble and even death. Seizing the property of another is
like depriving him of his vitalities, for all objects belonging to one are his
external vitalities. Hence theft is Himsä.
Taking with intent to steal objects, even of such things as grass, which are in
the possession of others is stealing. If we think deeply, accumulation of
material objects beyond our necessities such as food, clothes and shelter also
amounts to adattädän. If one
accumulates more than his needs, he deprives others from getting their
necessities.

4.Maithun meansunchastity or engaging in sensuous pleasure. Forbidden for householders
are sexual contact with unmarried men and women and widowers, keeping a
mistress or going to a prostitute, gossiping about sex or making sexually
provocative gestures, leaving one's own children and celebrating the marriages
of others, wearing indecent dress and decorations; and taking intoxicating
drugs. No. one should have extramarital or premarital relationship, and even
within the married life it is advisable to observe maximum possible restraint.

6.Krodha meansanger. Anger is the first of four passions (Kashäy). Spiritually, anger hurts the person who shows it. Anger
can become a reason for one’s destruction. Because of the anger, one is unable
to maintain the balance of mind. Anger destroysfriendships and develops rivalry. Anger dissolves the fabrics of
the family life. Anger adversely affects health - causes adverse effects on
brain, heart, etc. Because of anger, one’s life becomes horrible. Contrary to
this, one can produce lots of positive results by the application of
forgiveness, love and cooperation.

7.Män means ego - meaning the feeling of
“I am something.” This is the second of the four passions (Kashäy). It is difficult for one to overcome his ego. Because of
the ego, our history is full of blood. Today’s political problems and violence
are because of egotism. Egotism is one of the higher päps. (One’s ego can be overcome by cultivating the sense of
humbleness.)

8.Mäyä means deceit. There are four
factors which lead to getting human life. One of them is straightforwardness (saralatä). One, who has unity of his
thinking, speaking and deeds (he does what he says and he says what he thinks),
is a straightforward person. This kind of person is well respected by all.
Because of his straightforwardness, his soul becomes lighter as he acquires
less amount of Karmas.

9.Lobha means greed. Greed is the father
of all sins (and the other three passions). Four passions: anger, greed, ego,
and deceit (AGED), are the main culprits for the cycle of birth and death. They
are difficult to be controlled. If one conquers these four, then he can attain Moksha. One acquires lot of Karmas
because of his greed. Under the influence of greed, one forgets his duties,
laws, ethics, morale, etc. Subtle level of greedexists even in the tenth gunsthäna.
That’s why it is said, “lohosavvavinäsano” - greed destroys all merits.

10.Räg means attachment. One of the most
popular words used in the Jainism is “vitaräg”
- one who has conquered räg. But
there is no word like “vitdvesha” - one
who has conquered aversion. Because it is difficult to conquer “attachment” (räg). It is even difficult to identify räg. It is like a covered well, one can
easily be cheated. This can be controlled by cultivating the sense of
detachment..

11.Dvesha means aversion. It includes
hatred, enmity, jealousy etc. Where there is räg, there is dvesha. One
cannot tolerate the prosperity of his neighbors or his friends. Because of
jealousy, one does not necessarily bring bad things to others, but he certainly
spoils his own life. One’s hatred does more harm to his own soul. Attachment or
hatred occurs to us almost every moment. If somebody does good to us, we like
him and if somebody does not do what we like, we tend to hate him. We can
overcome these two by cultivating the sense of equanimity in all situations,
and we must if we want to attain liberation. We should have love and amity for
all. Even if someone happens to be wicked we should show compassion instead of
hatred.

12.Kalah means dispute or quarrel. Quarrel
is more connected with the tongue. When we do not restrain what we talk, we add
fuel to fire - we give momentum to quarrel. Because of quarrel, we have wars..
Because of quarrel, we invite medical problems such as blood pressure, ulcer,
etc. Not only we hurt ourselves, we also hurt our dear ones. Many people
quarrel for trivial matter. Sometimes it may seem that we win by fighting, but
we happen to lose in the long run. One should therefore develop amity and
friendliness.

13.Abhyäkhyän means accusation or incrimination.
Because of jealousy, we put false accusation on others. This is one of the
dangerous päps. Abhyäkhyän may get innocent people in trouble. Moreover there is
always a possibility to get in trouble when the truth comes to light. One
should therefore try to avoid laying accusations and try to understand the
truth of the matter.

14.Paishunya means calumny or slandering.
To slander someone in his absence isPaishunya. It is a bad habit to talk
behind some one’s back or to spread rumor. Such habit leads to unnecessary
friction and quarrels. This kind of habits is no good. Instead of indulging in
gossip, one should cultivate the habit of appreciating others.

15.Par-pariväd
means to criticize someone in his presence.

16.Rati-arati means not to pursue permanent
happiness through self-restraint and to pursue temporary happiness.

17.Mäyä-mrushä means to lie with the intent
of cheating. This binds double unwholesome Karmas - one for lying and one for
deceit. This type of activities results in deluding (Mohaniya) Karma. People do not like to keep friendship with such
persons. Nobody would trust them. One should be truthful and straightforward
towards others.

18.Mithyätva shalya means false faith or to
trust false god or wrong guru or wrong religion. This is the last but the most dangerous
unwholesome activity. False faith is the root cause of the wandering from one
life to another.

From the practical point of
view, people prefer punya to PÄP, and therefore, engage themselves in
such acts and thoughts that bring in punya
for the following reasons: (1) Good activities bringpunya, and bad
activitiesPÄP. (2) Happy and comfortable situations like handsome and strong
or beautiful and graceful body, good health, attractive and loving spouse,
children to be proud of, wealth, amenities, to be born in higher family, longer
life-span, etc. are due to punya.
Unwholesome Karmas on the other hand would result in unhappy and miserable
situations like ugliness, illness, quarrelsome and wicked spouse, issuelessness
or vicious issues, poverty, to be born in lower family, shorter life-span, and
the destructive Ghäti) Karmas. (3) Fruit of punya
is pleasure and the fruit ofPÄP is pain.

From the realistic point of
view, both punya and PÄP lead the soul further into the Sansär because: (1) Both are caused by
impure activities of the soul, (2) Both are karmic material in nature, (3)
Fruition of both is harmful to the real happiness of soul and (4) Both lead
towards the path of bondage.

As long as soul is embodied, it
does indulge in some or other activity. This activity may be physical or mental
or both. It is possible that a person may refrain from physical activity for
some time. His mental apparatus however never rests. It functions even when he
sleeps. Every activity involves Karma and he has to bear consequences thereof
sooner or later.Because of ever
presence of the Karmas (kärman body),
the subtle vibration of the soul creates an adhyavasäy
(primal drive - sub-conscious mind), that affects the psychic colors (leshyä). These psychic colors depending
upon its nature, good or bad, generate passionate thoughts that may translate
in good or bad activities. These activities are responsible for influx and
bondage of good or bad of Karmas. Good as well bad bondage of Karmas hinder the
purity and freedom of soul. Punya
bondage is like hand-cuffs made of gold and the PÄP bondage is like iron hand-cuffs, causing the soul to wander in
the cycle of birth and death, because fruits of good or bad Karmas have to be born.
Therefore, a true believer should treatpunya and PÄP as an obstruction to attaining Moksha, the path of liberation, and true nature of the soul. Thus
he should always be absorbed in the “self” (endeavor for the activities that
stop and eradicate Karmas). However, when Jiva
is in the lower spiritual stages (gunasthän),
long-continued self-absorption is not possible. That time, he should resort to Punya - good deeds, such as, devotion to
punchparmesthi, services to Jain ascetics,and study of scriptures in order to keep away Pramäd. However, he should continue his
efforts to attain the status of self-absorption.

Concepts of Punya and Päp are more or
less identical in most of the religions. The latter concept is however more
subtly treated by Indian philosophies, They take into consideration not only
the actual act but also the intention behind it. They are unanimous in adoring
the meritorious intentions and activities and in condemning the sinful ones. In
a major respect however Jainism differs from others in its approach to Punya or meritorious activities. One may
obtain material happiness and comforts as a result of punya, but what after that? Material happiness does come to an end and
comfortable situations do not last forever. One has therefore to undergo
miseries at the expiration of punya
Karmas, unless he has earned other punyaKarmas meanwhile. This earning of new
punyaKarma while enjoying the fruits of earlier ones is known in Jain
terminology as PunyänubandhiPunya or wholesome Karmas motivating
further wholesome activities.

Very few persons fall within the
category of PunyänubandhiPunya, because most of the persons get
infatuated by the happiness and comforts. By virtue of the infatuation they
indulge in unwholesome activities. This type of Punya is known as PäpänubandhiPunya or wholesome Karmas leading to
unwholesome ones. Misery is thus destined for them in the near future. How can
one avoid this situation? If the objective is to attain liberation, one has to
avoid all sorts of Karmas. There is no other alternative. In ultimate analysis,
Jainism therefore lays down avoidance of wholesome Karmas as well.

Päp Karmas or unwholesome Karmas are also considered of two types.
As consequence of operative PÄP
Karmas,a person does undergo varying
degrees of miseries. If however that person realizes that his miseries are the
consequence of his previous unwholesome Karmas, he may like to stay unaffected
and bear the miseries with a sense of detachment and objectivity. He may
therefore undergo the pain of the miseries with equanimity and meanwhile try to
undertake the best possible activities. This attitude would earn to him Punyas. His operative Karmas are
therefore known as PunyänubandhiPäp or unwholesome Karmas motivating
wholesome activities.

On the other hand, most of the
people undergoing miseries blame someone else or some extraneous factors for
causing the miseries. They therefore indulge in anger, jealousy, enmity etc.
and react violently or wrongly to the persons whom they consider the causeof their pain and miseries. Thus theyacquire new unwholesome Karmas or Päp. The
current Päp Karmas of such persons are therefore known as PäpnubandhiPÄP or
unwholesome Karmas leading to further unwholesome Karmas.

The wholesome as well as
unwholesome Karmas cause bondage to which soul gets chained. Both of them come
in the way of soul’s liberation and are to be avoided as such. This can be done
by cultivating sense of detachment in all possible situations, favorable as
well as unfavorable. No situation lasts forever and every conceivable situation
comes to an end sooner or later. Why then get infatuated or feel miserable in a
situation which is ephemeral? If a person stays tuned to such detached attitude
and maintains equanimity, he does not attract new Karmas. His earlier Karmas
would steadily drip off as he bears their consequences. In due course he would
therefore shake off all Karmas . As such, he proceeds on the path of
liberation. Unfortunately however it is not possible for a worldly soul to stay
continuously tuned to its true nature very long. The Tirthankars have stated that no one can continuously concentrate on
any object for more than two ghadies or
48 minutes. Beyond that time the attention of the aspirant gets diverted. Thus
after staying tuned to true nature, the attention reverts to other aspects.
During periods of such reversals a person may better be involved in wholesome
activities instead of indulging in unwholesome ones. Therein lies the
preference of punya over päp